Camellia plant named ‘Mondel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘MonDel’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; relatively long flowering period; single pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Camellia sasanqua.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MONDEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MonDel’.

The new Camellia plant originated as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’, not patented. The new Camellia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Yuletide’ in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Azusa, Calif. in November, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia plant by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Azusa, Calif. since 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MonDel’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MonDel’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively long flowering period.     -   5. Single pink-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Yuletide’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia have pink-colored flowers whereas         plants of ‘Yuletide’ have red-colored flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Yuletide’.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Azusa, Calif., plants of the new Camellia differed from plants of the ‘Setsugekka’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia were more compact than plants of         ‘Setsugekka’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia were more suitable for containers         than plants of ‘Setsugekka’.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Setsugekka’ differed in         flower form and color as plants of ‘Setsugekka’ had semi-double         white-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Setsugekka’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia plant.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MonDel’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘MonDel’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Visalia, Calif. in one-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse during the autumn under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 12° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 42 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia sasanqua ‘MonDel’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Camellia     sasanqua ‘Yuletide’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to root cuttings, summer.—About four to six months at             soil temperatures of 23° C. to 26° C. and air temperatures             of 32° C. to 37° C.         -   Time to root cuttings, winter.—About four to six months at             soil temperatures of 18° C. and air temperatures of 21° C.             to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, medium in thickness; creamy yellow             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             compact and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about six to seven             primary lateral branches develop per plant each with             numerous secondary laterals; pinching enhances lateral             branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter:             About 6 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture, young stems: Slightly pubescent.             Texture, older stems: Woody. Color, young stems: Close to             N199C. Color, older stems: Close to 199B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 4.6 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrulate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Mostly smooth and glabrous with             short hairs long the mid-vein. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to N137A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than 139A; venation, close to 147A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 146A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Single rotate flowers,             flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering habit with             usually about four to five flowers and flower buds per apex;             flowers face mostly upright; flowers initially cupped and             flattening with development.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants of             the new Camellia flower continuously from October to January             in California.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about seven to ten days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; vanilla-like.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 67C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single flower form; about ten petals             arranged in two to three whorls. Length: About 3.8 cm.             Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 73C. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 55B to 55C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             73C; towards the base, close to 55B; color becoming closer             to 73D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 73C; towards the base, close to 73B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About five to seven fused in two             whorls; cup-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Ovate to broadly elliptical. Apex: Broadly             acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 145A to 145B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:             About 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 78. Filament length: About 1.7 cm. Filament color:             Close to 4C. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 162D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Four-parted.             Stigma color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 145C to             145D.         -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed on plants of the new Camellia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Camellia have been observed     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain and wind and     to tolerate temperatures from about 9° C. to about 43° C. -   Disease/pest tolerance: Plants of the new Camellia have been     observed to be have good tolerance to Petal Blight, Anthracnose,     Camellia Rust Mite, Red Mites and Aphids. Plants of the new Camellia     have not been observed to be tolerant or resistant to other     pathogens and pests common to Camellias. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘MonDel’ as illustrated and described. 